Carlisle rushed inside, allowing Sam to lead the way. Immediately, he heard Emily's discomfort, though she was doing well keeping it together.

She winced as the two of them crossed into the living room where she had been sitting in an attempt to relax. Her hands were on her stomach and her eyes were pressed shut as she took in the pain that went along with what Carlisle guessed was the beginning of the birth process.

"Sam," he said calmly, "Get those blankets from the couch and lay them on the floor." He shoved the wooden coffee table to the side and made room for Emily. Almost everyone from the back followed them inside and were gathering in and around the living room.

Sue Clearwater, Esme and Rosalie were the first three in and line and all looked at each other with the same thought.

"She deserves some privacy," Esme spoke, reading the minds of the two women beside her.

"I'll get some sheets to hang around the door," Sue offered with a nod. She eyed all of the boys, who all wore concerned expressions as they looked on. "Go out back," she ordered, "Or into the kitchen. Emily needs her space."

They quickly obeyed, and Rosalie took a glance over her shoulder at the young mother-to-be. When Sue returned the three of them aided in the process in closing off the living room.

Sam knelt down at his wife's side, gripping her hand with his own. "I'm here," he told her, brushing her hair back.

"Esme!" Carlisle called out, "Will you get my bag? The one with all of the supplies in it?"

Esme didn't even take time to respond. She hurried down into the basement, grabbed his back and hurried back toward the living room.

"Thank you." He smiled quickly before returning his whole attention to his patient. "Emily," Carlisle went on, "You're going into labor. You'll be a mother in just a short time. It'll be the best moment of your life."

"It doesn't feel that way right now," she breathed.

Carlisle chuckled to keep her calm, "I know. But it won't be long."

Sam looked at the doctor, sensing he was using everything in his back pocket to keep Emily feeling as calm as possible. He wanted to ask if she'd be okay; if she'd live through the experience without the medical technology that they were used to.

Was the water they had even sanitary anymore? Was anything sanitary? Could Emily get an infection and die later? Would she die instantly? What if a 'C' section needed to be performed? What then?

"Sam, I need you to help me count," Carlisle interrupted his thoughts. "When it's time for Emily to push, you'll have to count with me."

"Okay." He nodded enthusiastically, feeling his hands begin to shake from the pressure from something as simple as counting.

Carlisle nodded in his direction, and then began to spout out what was about to take place in the birthing process with Emily. "You're doing excellent already," he explained, encouraging her as he went.

"I haven't done anything," Emily disagreed with a painful smile. She kept her eyes shut from the pain.

"You have, and you're doing great," he reiterated. "Sam, is there a case of water on the front step that you put out there to get cold?"

He nodded.

"It's pure," Carlisle told him, "Untainted. I'll need a few bottles."

"I've got it." Sam stood up, and Emily clutched his hand.

"No, Sam. Have one of the boys go," she said desperately.

"I'll be right back. It'll take all of five seconds." Sam kissed the back of her hand, leaving the room for a short moment before returning with three bottles of water for Carlisle.

"Thank you," he replied.

"Is this enough?" Sam asked.

"For now. We need to make sure it's clean for when the baby arrives."

He nodded and rejoined his wife, holding onto her hand again. She thankfully clutched him and laid her head all the way back down onto the floor.

"Emily," Carlisle said, beginning his instruction, "I'm going to use countdowns of three," he stated, "As in, one-two-three... on the three count I want you to push as hard as you can. Sam's going to count with me." He placed a hand on her stomach, attempting to feel the way the baby was positioned.

"Okay Em?" Sam asked, taking a deep breath.

"Yes." She took in a deep breath and anticipated the first count.

"One..." Carlisle began, "Two... three. Push."

Emily did as he asked, pushing with everything she had, screaming as she did so.

Sam looked as if he was totally caught off-guard, noting he missed the count.

Carlisle had only given him the job to keep him occupied and to feel as if he was included in the process. He wanted Sam to stay focused and feel important in the delivery process. "Ready Sam?"

He nodded. "Ready."

"One..." Carlisle began, and then was joined by Sam this time. "Two... three."

Emily pushed again, repeating the strenuous first push.

Carlisle took a deep breath, "You're doing excellent, Emily. I need you to do it a third time." He and Sam began their countdown again and Emily pushed.

Sam began to pick up on Carlisle's facial expressions. He could see that something wasn't right. The calm doctor was great at hiding his worries, but the sweat that began to drip along his hairline and coat his forehead was anything but camouflage.

"What?" Sam asked, unable to keep himself from asking. He didn't want to upset or worry his wife, but he could see that something wasn't going according to plan.

"Count with me again, Sam," Carlisle instructed.

Their cycle repeated for several times before Emily screaming for the baby to be delivered.

Carlisle took a deep breath, letting strain show for the first time. "I need to perform a C-section."

Emily winced and whined and Sam's face dropped. It was his worst fear in regards to Emily's condition.

"The baby," Carlisle went on, "It's positioned the wrong way." He shook his head and fiddled in his bag for more tools available.

"What are the chances?" Sam asked.

"Just save my baby," Emily begged through strenuous breathes, "I don't care about me."

"No!" Sam shouted. "Save them both."

"I will," Carlisle said, praying to himself that it was possible.

"My baby," Emily went on, "Please. Just save him."

Carlisle looked at the writhing mother. He didn't know what was to come for either of them. He did know that he would work with what he had and do everything in his power to keep tragedy from striking their family.

"Rosalie!" he called in from the other room, remembering she was attending school to be a nurse, or a doctor. He couldn't accurately recall the conversation, though knew she was studying in the medical field prior to the collapse of society.

Rosalie rushed into the living room at his call. "Yeah?"

"I need you to be my second pair of hands," he explained, "You were studying to be a doctor."

"Sort of."

"I need your help."

"Okay." She nodded.

"Get all the tools that I ask you to, when I ask you to. Okay?" He kept his voice positive and as uplifting as possible.

"Okay," Rosalie repeated again, feeling her heartbeat begin to pick up. She swallowed hard and waited.

Carlisle leaned over Emily, "I'm going to perform a C-section," he told her, "You know what that is?"

"Yes."

"We don't have medication stronger than Advil here," he explained, "And it won't do much, if anything for this. It certainly won't kick in, in time."

"I just want my baby to be safe."

"It will," Carlisle assured her, "You're going to have to be strong." He looked at Sam, "She needs you."

Sam's eyes glistened but he didn't let a tear fall. He held onto Emily's hand and Carlisle took a deep breath.

"Are you ready, Emily?" he asked.

She nodded, and painful tears streaking out of her eyes.

Carlisle looked at Rosalie and pointed to a tool. She handed it to him and he proceeded with the operation.

"You're strong, Emily," he repeated before proceeding with the painful procedure.

Her anguish was torture for Sam, for Carlisle and for Rosalie. Everyone else who stood behind the curtain couldn't ignore it, and the moment left their extra large group silent and overwhelmed.

Carlisle tried comforting Emily as he spoke, but he couldn't keep his worries from surfacing as he went on.

Rosalie winced, seeming to feel the woman's pain in the moment. She followed Carlisle's commands and bit her bottom lip, wanting to cry but not wanting to upset Sam in the process, who was barely holding it together.

Carlisle felt the young woman's life slipping out of his hands, but felt a rush of relief when the baby was finally released from the woman, sending loud, newborn wails into the air.

Sam's face dropped, combining his previous fear and angst with something deeper. It was a rush of relief, and the look only a father would know.

Rosalie, too, let her mouth drop open in a sense of joy when the baby cried relentlessly in Carlisle's arms. She let her own share of tears drop and felt overcome with emotion.

Carlisle was professional, observing the child to make sure it appeared healthy on the surface. He then glanced down at Emily, who's eyes were closed as she laid lifeless on the floor.

Sam followed his gaze and began shouting. "Emily!" He grasped her hand, "Emily!"

The curtain flung open. Billy and Sue were the first to emerge and tried to catch up to the bittersweet scene that was unfolding in the living room.

Before any of them could react, the front door burst open and walkers began piling into the house.